American purchased hand sanitizer in droves early on in the COVID-19 pandemic.
But doctors say overusing hand sanitizer can be dangerous, especially for children, because a toxic chemical is some hand sanitizers could be absorbed through the skin.
Methanol is one of three types of alcohol used in hand sanitizer products, and consumption of it could cause blindness and death.
While hand sanitizers manufactured in the U.S. are banned from using it - and instead contain safer alternatives like ethanol and isopropanol - many products manufactured in other countries still use the chemical.
Some experts fear that the chemical could be absorbed through children's skin, causing long-term health issues.
Doctors recommend only using hand sanitizer when really needed - instead of using every day - and only using small amounts when used.
Some hand sanitizers manufactured abroad may contain methanol, a dangerous chemical that could cause blindness or death after exposure. Children may be especially endanger as it can transmit through their skin
Hand sanitizer was akin to liquid gold early on in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Americans rushed to purchase hand sanitizer, emptying shelves across the country stockpiling in an effort to protect themselves and their families.
Early in the pandemic, many feared that COVID-19 would spread on surfaces that held virus particles.
It has since been discovered that the virus does not live very long on surfaces and primarily travels through the air.
Sales of hand sanitizer rose by 620 percent last year, according to the Boston Globe.
Gojo Industries, owner of Purell - the nation's biggest hand sanitizer brand - expanded production capacity to meet